Two apiece for Carberry and Geraghty
Champion jockey Paul Carberry and his great rival Barry Geraghty continued to dominate the jumping scene when they both recorded doubles at Cork.
Carberry had to produce a storming finish on Dee-One-O-One in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork & Bantry Handicap Chase over two miles to defy a 6lb penalty picked up last Tuesday at Punchestown.
Carberry’s mount will be given a break now by trainer Pat Martin after rallying bravely on the run-in to catch Rattothetattat.
And Carberry is a hard man to overcome in a tight finish and he got back up aboard the 2-1 favourite to prevail by a head before recording an easier success half an hour later on Mr Sneaky Boo, a 6-1 shot, in the McCarthy Insurance Group Fermoy Handicap Hurdle.
Yet another winner for the in-form Michael Hourigan stable, Mr Sneaky Boo arrived full of running turning into the home straight before drawing readily clear to score by two lengths from Reminiscer.
Geraghty then got in on the act.
Kicking King was sent off the 4-5 favourite for the McCarthy Insurance Group Waterford & Clonmel Hurdle and did not let his supporters down, eventually coming home eight lengths in front of The Dark Flasher, whose effort was short lived after a mistake two out.
“Kicking King will run next at Punchestown on February 2 in the Byrne Group Novice Hurdle and hopefully will make a better chaser than a hurdler in time,” said winning trainer Tom Taaffe.
Soltero, 7-2, likewise won cosily for Geraghty in the McCarthy Insurance Group Beginners Chase to make amends for coming down on his previous two starts over fences at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.
The Gatherer was odds-on to compensate for his exit on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse when travelling like a winner three out, but was unable to match Soltero in the home straight and a bad mistake at the last by the favourite allowed Soltero to coast home for Geraghty.
“This horse is basically a good jumper and Barry said the steady pace suited as it allowed him to give the horse confidence at his fences,” said trainer Jessica Harrington.
In the absence of Arthur Moore’s anticipated favourite Kaoutchou from the McCarthy Direct Maiden Hurdle, Social Order was all the rage in the betting ring and the Michael O’Brien-trained 5-4 chance never gave his followers any worries as he romped clear of She’s Our Girl from the second last in the hands of David Casey.
Masteroffoxhounds (7-4) likewise was an emphatic scorer in the concluding bumper, producing plenty of finishing pace for young JP Magnier who wore the colours of his mother Sue to follow up a recent course and distance success.
Magnier only returned from a family holiday to Barbados the previous day, and he was confident throughout aboard this second favourite who is trained by his brother-in-law David Wachman and could have a big future when going jumping later on.
